For the second consecutive go-round, the Astros won’t catch two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum (11-10, 2.53 ERA). With closer Brian Wilson (83 saves in 93 chances the past two seasons) on the disabled list with an elbow injury, the Giants made a waiver claim on Padres reliever Heath Bell. Injuries have watered down an offense that wasn’t high octane in the first place. OF Carlos Beltran came off the disabled list, but the Giants are still missing C Buster Posey (broken leg), OFs Andres Torres (lower leg contusion) and Pat Burrell (bone spur in foot). Another OF, Nate Schierholz, is trying to play through a broken foot. The team RBI leader, 1B Aubrey Huff, entered Wednesday with an on-base-plus-slugging of only .692.

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Switch-hitting 3B Pablo Sandoval has been one of the few productive hitters for the Giants, who are last in the National League in runs scored. On top of a .308/.348/.515 batting average/on-base/slugging line entering Wednesday, Sandoval had 15 homers and 50 RBIs in 86 games. Like so many of his teammates, his season has been curtailed by injury (40 games missed because of right hamate bone fracture). Sandoval hit a two-run, game-winning home run off Mark Melancon last Sunday at Minute Maid Park. Because of an inflammation in his left shoulder that hurts him when he swings righthanded, Sandoval has been hitting lefthanded against lefty pitchers.